Image forming apparatus and image forming system

ABSTRACT

An image forming apparatus, having a communication interface, an image forming device, a user interface, a memory, and a controller, is provided. The controller controls the user interface to display a print standby screen including a specific object, on condition that received reservable print job data indicates a first parameter being applied to the received reservable print job. The controller controls the image forming device to print images for the reservable print job in compliance with the first parameter when the execution instructing operation is rendered through the user interface without accompanying an operation to the specific object in the print standby screen, but controls the image forming device to print images for the reservable print job in compliance with a second parameter when the operation to the specific object in the print standby screen and the execution instructing operation are rendered through the user interface.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from JapanesePatent Application No. 2018-151231, filed on Aug. 10, 2018, the entiresubject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure is related to an aspect of an image formingapparatus and an image forming system providing a printing function. Inparticular, the present disclosure is related to a technic to change aprint setting for a print job after the print job is transmitted from anexternal device and received in an image forming apparatus.

Related Art

A technic to change a print setting for a print job once received in animage forming apparatus from an external device such as a personalcomputer (PC) is known. For example, the image forming apparatus mayauthenticate data for a secured print job and thereafter perform a partof the secured print job in a certain print setting for trial. A usermay view the outcome of the part of the secured print job and may wishto change the print setting. The image forming apparatus may accept thechange and print images for a regular (non-trial) secured print jobaccording to the changed print setting.

SUMMARY

According to the known technic, the user may change the print settingafter conducting the trial printing and before conducting the regularprinting. However, in order to provide the chance for changing the printsetting to the user, the image forming apparatus may lead the user to auser interface screen for changing the print setting each time in midstof a print job, which the user may find redundant or disturbing.Moreover, the user interface screen may present a list of items of printsettings that are changeable to the user while the user may need tochange solely one of the print settings. In such a case, the user mayfind the operation for changing the print settings troublesome.

The present disclosure is advantageous in that a technic, which enablesan image forming apparatus to change a print setting for a print jobeasily after receiving the print job, is provided.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an image formingapparatus, having a communication interface, an image forming device, auser interface, a memory, and a controller, is provided. The controlleris configured to, in response to receiving of reservable print job dataconstituting a reservable print job through the communication interface,execute a print standby screen displaying process, in which thecontroller controls the user interface to display a print standbyscreen. The user interface displaying the print standby screen isacceptable of an execution instructing operation for the reservableprint job rendered in the print standby screen. The controller isconfigured to control the user interface to display a specific object inthe print standby screen on condition that the received reservable printjob data indicates a first parameter being applied to the receivedreservable print job. The reservable print job is a print job to besaved temporarily in the memory without being used for image printing bythe image forming device directly upon reception through thecommunication interface but to be used by the image forming device forimage printing in response to the executing instructing operationaccepted through the user interface. The controller is furtherconfigured to, in response to the execution instructing operation beingrendered through the user interface without accompanying an operation tothe specific object in the print standby screen, execute a reservationprinting process, in which the controller controls the image formingdevice to print images for the reservable print job, in compliance withthe first parameter. The controller is configured to, in response to theoperation to the specific object in the print standby screen and theexecution instructing operation being rendered through the userinterface, execute the reservation printing process in compliance withthe second parameter.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an image formingapparatus, having a communication interface, an image forming device, auser interface, a memory, and a controller, is provided. The controlleris configured to, when print job data constituting a print job isreceived through the communication interface, and on condition that thereceived print job data indicates a first parameter being applied to theprint job, execute a print-in-progress screen displaying process, inwhich the controller controls the user interface to display aprint-in-progress screen including a specific object while the imageforming device is in progress of image printing for the print job. Thecontroller is further configured to, in response to an operation to thespecific object in the print-in-progress screen through the userinterface rendered before completion of the image printing for the printjob, execute a print resuming process, in which the controller abortsthe image printing in compliance with the first parameter and controlsthe image forming device to print images for the print job in compliancewith a second parameter.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an image formingsystem, having an image forming apparatus including a firstcommunication interface and a first user interface, and an externaldevice including a second communication interface and a second userinterface, is provided. The external device is configured to transmitreservable print job data constituting a reservable print job throughthe second communication interface to the image forming apparatus. Thereservable print job is a print job to be saved temporarily in a memoryin the image forming apparatus without being used for image printing byan image forming device in the image forming apparatus directly uponreception through the first communication interface but to be used bythe image forming device for image printing in response to an executinginstructing operation accepted in the image forming apparatus throughthe first user interface. The image forming apparatus is configured to,in response to receiving of the reservable print job data from theexternal device through the first communication interface, display aprint standby screen in the first user interface. The first userinterface displaying the print standby screen is acceptable of anexecution instructing operation for the reservable print job. The imageforming apparatus is configured to, on condition that the receivedreservable print job data indicates a first parameter being applied tothe received reservable print job, control the first user interface tofurther display a specific object in the print standby screen. The imageforming apparatus is configured to, in response to the executioninstructing operation being rendered through the first user interfacewithout accompanying an operation to the specific object in the printstandby screen, control the image forming device to print images for thereservable print job in compliance with the first parameter. The imageforming apparatus is configured to, in response to the operation to thespecific object in the print standby screen and the executioninstructing operation are rendered through the first user interface,control the image forming device to print the images for the reservableprint job in compliance with a second parameter.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an image formingsystem, having an image forming apparatus with a first communicationinterface and a first user interface, and an external device comprisinga second communication interface and a second user interface, isprovided. The external device is configured to transmit print job dataconstituting a print job through the second communication interface tothe image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus is configuredto, when the print job data from the external device is received throughthe first communication interface, and on condition that the receivedprint job data indicates a first parameter being applied to the receivedreservable print job, display a print-in-progress screen including aspecific object in the first user interface while the image formingdevice is in progress of image printing for the print job. The imageforming apparatus is further configured to, in response to an operationto the specific object in the print-in-progress screen through the firstuser interface rendered before completion of the image printing for theprint job, abort the image printing in compliance with the firstparameter and control the image forming device to print images for theprint job in compliance with a second parameter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram to illustrate an electrical configuration ofan image forming system according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 is an illustrative view of a screen including a button, throughwhich an instruction for changing a print setting to single-sidedprinting is acceptable, according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3 is an illustrative view of a screen including a button, throughwhich an instruction for changing a print setting to single-sidedprinting is acceptable, according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart to illustrate steps in a main process to beconducted in an MFP according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart to illustrate steps in an in-printing changingprocess to be conducted in the MFP according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart to illustrate steps in a reservable job printingprocess to be conducted in the MFP according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart to illustrate steps in a job-transmitting processto be conducted in the MFP according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart to illustrate steps in a suggestion displayingprocess to be conducted in the MFP according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 9 is an illustrative view of a prompt screen to be displayed in adisplay in an external device according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 10 is another illustrative view of a screen including a button,through which an instruction for changing a print setting tosingle-sided printing is acceptable, according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment according to the present disclosurewill be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.It is noted that various connections may be set forth between theelements in the following description. These connections in general and,unless specified otherwise, may be direct or indirect, and thisspecification is not intended to be limiting in this respect. Aspects ofthe present disclosure may be implemented on one or more CPUs, one ormore circuits, including ASICs, and a combination of any of these, or incomputer software as programs storable in computer-readable mediaincluding, but not limited to, RAMs, ROMs, flash memories, EPROMs,CD-media, DVD-media, temporary storage, hard disk drives, floppy drives,permanent storage, and the like.

In the following paragraphs, described will be an image forming systemthat includes a PC and a multifunction peripheral (MFP) providing animage forming function.

The image forming system in the present embodiment includes, as shown inFIG. 1, an MFP 100 and a PC 200, which are connected for communicationwith each other. The MFP 100 may receive image data from an externaldevice (e.g., PC 200) and form an image based on the image data on aprinting medium. The PC 200 may provide a variety of functions includinga data transmitting function to transmit image data to the MFP 100. Theexternal device may include, for a smartphone or a tablet computer.

An electrical configuration of the MFP 100 will be described below. TheMFP 100 includes, as shown in FIG. 1, a control board 30 including a CPU31, a ROM 32, a RAM 33, and a non-volatile memory 34. Moreover, the MFP10 includes a communication interface (I/F) 36, a user I/F 37, and animage forming device 40, which are electrically connected with thecontrol board 30. Optionally, the MFP 100 may further be equipped withfunctions other than the image forming function such as an image readingfunction.

The CPU 31 may conduct processes according to programs called from theROM 32 or the non-volatile memory 34 and according to the user's input.The ROM 32 stores programs including a booting program to boot the MFP100. The RAM 33 may serve as a work area to be used by the processesconducted by the CPU 31 and a memory area to store data temporarily. Thenon-volatile memory 34 may include, for example, an HDD and a flashmemory, which may serve as a work area for the processes to be conductedby the CPU 31 and a storage area to store data temporarily. Optionally,the CPU 31 may have a CPU buffer to serve as a memory.

The ROM 32, the RAM 33, and the non-volatile memory 34 arenon-transitory computer-readable and tangible storage media.Non-transitory computer-readable and tangible storage media may furtherinclude, for example, CD-ROM and DVD-ROM. In this regard, while electricsignals to convey a program to be downloaded from an external devicesuch as a server through the Internet may be a computer-readable signalmedium, the electric signals are not regarded as a non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium.

The communication I/F 36 includes a configuration that enables the MFP100 to communicate with an external device including the PC 200. The MFP100 may support a plurality of different communication protocols. Inthis regard, the communication I/F 36 may include a plurality ofhardware devices that support different communication protocols.

The user I/F 37 may include, for example, a touch panel that may bothdisplay messages and accept operations rendered by a user. Alternately,the user I/F 37 may be a combination of a display that does not acceptthe user's operations and an input device such as input keys includingnumerical keys and a start key, through which the user's operations maybe rendered.

The image forming device 40 includes a configuration to form an image ona sheet. The image forming device 40 may form an image in any of avariety of image forming formats, including, for example, an inkjetimage-forming and an electrophotographic image-forming. Moreover, theimage forming device 40 may be a multicolor image forming device or amonochrome image forming device. Furthermore, the MFP 100 may include aplurality of image forming devices 40 that may form images in differentimage-forming formats.

The image forming device 40 in the MFP 100 according to the presentembodiment is capable of double-sided printing, i.e., forming images onboth sides of a sheet. For double-sided printing, the image formingdevice 40 may, for example, convey the sheet to print an image on oneside, invert the sheet upside down within the MFP 100 to form an imageon the other side, and eject the sheet with the images formed on theboth sides thereof outside the MFP 100. The MFP 100 includes a sheetconveyer (not shown) to convey and invert the sheet, which enablesdouble-sided printing and single-sided printing for the MFP 100 to formimage(s) on either two sides or a single side of the sheet.

An electrical configuration of the PC 200 will be described in thefollowing paragraphs. The PC 200 includes, as shown in FIG. 1, a controlboard 10 including a CPU 11, a ROM 12, a RAM 13, and a non-volatilememory 14. Moreover, the PC 200 includes a communication I/F 16, adisplay 17, and a user interface (I/F) 18, which are connected with thecontrol board 10.

The CPU 11 may conduct processes according to programs called from theROM 12 or the non-volatile memory 14 and according to a user's input.The ROM 12 stores programs including a booting program to boot the PC200. The RAM 13 may serve as a work area to be used by the processesconducted by the CPU 11 and a memory area to store data temporarily. Thenon-volatile memory 14 may include, for example, an HDD and a flashmemory, which may serve as a storage area to store programs, data suchas image data and document data, and information for settings.

The communication I/F 16 includes a hardware configuration that enablesthe PC 200 to communicate with the MFP 100. The communication I/F 16 maybe in compliance with wireless and/or wired communication protocol(s).The PC 200 may support a plurality of different communication protocols.In this regard, the communication I/F 16 may include a plurality ofhardware devices that support different communication protocols.

The display 17 includes a hardware device capable of displayinginformation on a screen. The user I/F 18 includes a hardware device suchas a keyboard and a mouse that are capable of accepting input operationsfrom the user. In other words, a combination of the display 17 and theuser I/F 18 may each serve as a user interface. Optionally, the PC 200may have a touch panel that may serve as both the display 17 and theuser I/F 18.

In the PC 200, installed is an application program that may issue aprint-execution instruction. The PC 200 receiving the print-executioninstruction from the application program may generate a print job andtransmit print job data constituting the generated print job to the MFP100. The print job may include a plurality of print settings. Thenon-volatile memory 14 in the PC 200 may have, for example, an editorapplication 141 being an application program for editing documents andimages installed therein. The PC 100 may receive a print-executioninstruction while the editor application 141 is active.

It may be noted that each of the control board 10 and the control board30 shown in FIG. 1 is a collection of hardware device(s) and softwareprogram(s) that may be used to control the PC 200 and the MFP 100,respectively. In other words, the control board 10 and the control board30 may not necessarily represent single hardware devices that aredisposed in the PC 200 and the MFP 100, respectively.

Next, in the following paragraphs, described will be activities in theimage forming system according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure. In the image forming system, the print job data to betransmitted from the PC 200 to the MFP 100 includes a plurality of itemsof print settings for the print job. The items of the print settings mayinclude, for example, a setting of printing side(s), i.e., double-sidedprinting or single-sided printing, a selection of a printing medium, anda print resolution. For each of the items, a plurality of optionalparameters may be prepared, and one of the plurality of optionalparameters for each item may be selected exclusively. For example, forthe setting of printing side(s), a parameter to set double-sidedprinting and a parameter to set the single-sided printing may beprepared; therefore, when one of the parameters (e.g., double-sidedprinting) is selected, the other of the parameters (e.g., single-sidedprinting) is invalidated. For another example, for the selection ofprinting medium, parameters for different-sized the printing media andparameters for trays in the MFP 100 may be prepared.

The PC 200 may append the print settings to image data to be printed andgenerate a print job. Meanwhile, some of the items of the print settingsmay be explicitly selected by the user, and some other items of theprint settings may not always be explicitly selected by the user. Forthose items that are not explicitly selected by the user, the PC 200 mayadopt default parameters as default settings. The default settings maybe adopted, for example, automatically by a printer driver for the MFP100 installed in the PC 200. The default settings may vary depending onmodels of the MFP 100 and/or versions of the printer driver; therefore,the default settings may be different from settings expected by theuser. For example, when the user uses a newly released MFP 100 for thefirst time without checking through the default settings, the MFP 100may deliver a printed outcome appearing differently form the user'sexpected image.

The MFP 100 according to the present embodiment may accept a change to aprint setting for a print job consisting of print job data received froman external device even after the print job data is completely receivedin the MFP 100. In order to accept such a change, the MFP 100 maydisplay an image containing a button, through which the change to theprint setting is acceptable, in the user I/F 37. If an operation to thebutton is rendered, the MFP 100 may change the print setting for thereceived print job and print the image in the changed print setting. Forexample, a default setting adopted for a print setting item in the MFP100 of a current model may be different from a default setting adoptedfor the same print setting item in the MFP 100 of an older model. Inthis regard, the MFP 100 may display an image containing a button,through which a change to the print setting is acceptable, in the userI/F 37. In the following paragraphs, described will be activities of theMFP 100 and the PC 200 when a print job includes a print setting ofdouble-sided printing, and the MFP 100 accepts a change to the printsetting from double-sided printing to the single-sided printing.

A print job consisting of print data received from the PC 200 includes areservable print job and a non-reservable print job. The reservableprint job is a print job, which is received from the PC 200 and savedtemporarily in the RAM 33 in the MFP 100, and by which image printing isexecuted in response to receipt of an execution instruction through theuser I/F 37 of the MFP 100. The MFP 100 receiving the print job dataconstituting the reservable print job may save the received print job inthe RAM 33 and refrain from printing an image until an executioninstructing operation is rendered through the user I/F 37. In otherwords, receiving of the reservable print job through the communicationI/F 36 in the MFP 100 may not directly or immediately cause the imageforming device 40 to print the image. On the other hand, the MFP 100receiving print job data constituting a non-reservable print job mayexecute image printing without waiting for an execution instruction. Inother words, the non-reservable print job received in the MFP 100through the communication I/F 36 may cause directly or immediately causethe image forming device 40 to print the image.

While a reservable print job is stored in the RAM 33, the user mayrender an operation to select the reservable print job through the userI/F. When the operation to select the reservable print job is rendered,the MFP 100 may accept the selection and display a screen containing abutton, through which an operation to instruct the MFP 100 to executethe selected reservable print job may be rendered, in the user I/F 37.In particular, if the selected reservable print job has the printsetting of double-sided printing, the MFP 100 may display a screencontaining a button, through which an instruction for changing the printsetting to single-sided printing is acceptable, in the user I/F 37. Onthe other hand, if the selected reservable print job has the printsetting of single-sided printing, the MFP 100 may display a screencontaining a button, through which an instruction for print-start isacceptable, in the user I/F 37. In this case, the screen may not containthe button, through which the instruction for changing the print settingto single-sided printing is acceptable.

For example, if a reservable print job with a print setting ofdouble-sided printing is selected through the user I/F 37, the MFP 100displays a screen 53, as shown in FIG. 2, containing a button 51,through which a print-start instruction for starting image printing inthe print setting of single-sided printing is acceptable, and a button52, through which a print-start instruction for starting image printingin the print setting of double-sided printing is acceptable, in the userI/F 37. If, for example, an operation to the button 51 is rendered, theMFP 100 accepts the instruction and switches the print setting for theprint job from double-sided printing to single-sided printing and startsprinting images. The operation to the button 51 and the operation to thebutton 52 in the screen 53 may each be accepted as an executioninstructing operation to instruct the MFP 100 to execute image printingand may be rendered explicitly against each other.

For another example, the MFP 100 may receive print job data consistingof a non-reservable print job, and the received non-reservable print jobmay have a print setting of double-sided printing. In such a case, theMFP 100 may display a screen containing a button, through which a changeto the print setting is acceptable, in the user I/F 37 while imageprinting for the print job is in progress. Meanwhile, the MFP 100 mayreceive print job data consisting of a non-reservable print job, and thereceived non-reservable print job may have a print setting ofsingle-sided printing. In such a case, the MFP 100 may not display thescreen containing the button, through which a change to the printsetting is acceptable, in the user I/F 37 while image printing for theprint job is in progress.

In particular, while image printing for the print job with the printsetting of double-sided printing is in progress, the MFP 100 displays ascreen 55, as shown in FIG. 3, containing a button 54, through which aninstruction for changing the print setting to single-sided printing isacceptable, in the user I/F 37. If an operation to the button 54 isrendered, the MFP 100 accepts the instruction and switches the printsetting from double-sided printing to single-sided printing. The MFP 100may, for example, abort the image printing being in progress and restartthe image printing in the print setting of single-sided printing fromthe first page. For another example, the MFP 100 may resume the imageprinting for the print job for the remaining unprinted pages with thechanged print setting, i.e., not in double-sided printing but insingle-sided printing.

Next, described below with reference to flowcharts in FIGS. 4-8 will beactivities of the MFP 100 and the PC 200 to change the print settings.First, described with reference to FIG. 4 will be a main process to beconducted by the MFP 100. The main process may be triggered byactivation of the MFP 100.

The steps in the processes and the flowcharts described in the followingparagraphs may represent processes to be conducted by the CPU 31 or theCPU 11 acting in compliance with instructions described in the programsstored in the MFP 100 or the PC 200. In other words, terms to expressthe actions of the MFP 100 or the PC 200 such as judging, extracting,selecting, calculating, determining, specifying, obtaining, accepting,and controlling may represent processes conducted by the CPU 31 or theCPU 11. The processes to be conducted by the CPU 31 and the CPU 11 mayinclude controlling hardware devices using the APIs in the OSs of theMFP 100 and the PC 200. In the following description, however, actionsby the CPU 31 or the CPU 11 caused by a program may not necessarily bedescribed explicitly refer to the interventions of the OS or the API. Inother words, an expression such as “a program B controls a hardwaredevice C” may mean to describe an event “a program B controls a hardwaredevice C using the API in the OS.” Moreover, an action in a processconducted by the CPU 31 or the CPU 11 in compliance with an instructiondescribed in the program may be expressed as an action rendered by theCPU 11 or the CPU 31, e.g., “the CPU 11 conducts a process” or “the CPU31 conducts a process.”

Moreover, an act of obtaining may not necessarily be limited to a resultof requesting. In other words, the CPU 31 or the CPU 11 may receive datawithout requesting the data, and the act of receiving may still beexpressed as “the CPU 31 obtains the data” or “the CPU 11 obtains thedata.” Moreover, a term “data” in the present disclosure may mean a bitstring readable by a computer. Data units containing substantially thesame contents but in different formats may be handled as a same dataunit, and a term “information” may be regarded similarly. Terms foractions of “requesting,” “instructing,” and “commanding” may representoutputting information that indicates the request, the instruction, andthe command, respectively, to another party. Meanwhile, the informationthat indicates the request, the instruction, and the command may beexpressed by terms “request,” “instruction,” and “command,”respectively.

Moreover, a process conducted by the CPU 31 or the CPU 11 to determine,for example, whether information “A” indicates occurrence of “B” may bedescribed in an expression such as “the CPU 31/CPU 11 determinesoccurrence of “B” based on information “A.” Further, a process conductedby the CPU 31 or the CPU 11 to determine, for example, whetherinformation “A” indicates occurrence of “B” or “C” may be described inan expression such as “the CPU 31/CPU 11 determines whether “B” occursor “C” occurs.

The main process will be described below with reference to FIG. 4. InS101, the CPU 31 determines whether print job data is received. If theCPU 31 determines that the print job data is received (S101: YES), inS102, the CPU 31 determines whether the received print job data is datafor a reservable print job or a non-reservable print job. For example,the CPU 100 may determine whether the received print data is data for areservable print job with reference to information indicating a printsetting included in the print job data. If the CPU 31 determines thatthe received print job data is data for a reservable print job (S102:YES), in S103, the CPU 31 stores the data for the received print job inthe RAM 33.

In S102, on the other hand, if the CPU 31 determines that the receivedprint job data is not data for a reservable print job (S102: NO), inS104, the CPU 31 controls the image forming device 40 to start printingimages based on the received print job data. If the image forming device40 is occupied by processes for another print job received in the past,the image forming device 40 may start the image printing for thereceived print job after the processes for the print job received in thepast are completed.

In S105, the CPU 31 determines whether a print setting for the print jobstarted in S104 is double-sided printing. The CPU 31 may determine theprint setting for the print job started in S104 with reference toinformation indicating the print setting included in the print job data.If the CPU 31 determines that the print setting is double-sided printing(S105: YES), in S106, the CPU 31 conducts an in-printing changingprocess, in which an instruction for changing the print setting in theprint job is acceptable after printing of the images is started and isin progress.

With reference to FIG. 5, described below will be steps in thein-printing changing process. In S201, the CPU 31 determines whether anumber of unprinted pages is larger than or equal to a predeterminednumber. The unprinted pages are pages of images to be printed on sheetsthat are not yet conveyed. For example, if a print job requires printingimages on two or less page(s), a number of sheet(s) to be used for theprint job in double-sided printing is one (1). Therefore, at the timewhen image printing starts in S104 in the main process, no unprintedpage remains. Once the sheet conveyer starts conveying a sheet, the MFP100 cannot convey the sheet in reverse; therefore, when a number of theunprinted pages is small, there is substantially no time that may allowa change in the print setting while the print job is in progress.

In S201, if the CPU 31 determines that the number of unprinted pages islarger than or equal to the predetermined number (S201: YES), in S202,the CPU 31 controls the user I/F 37 to display a print-in-progressscreen. The print-in-progress screen may include, for example, amessage, which indicates that double-sided printing is in progress, anda button 54, through which an instruction for changing the print settingto single-sided printing is acceptable, as shown in a screen 55 in FIG.3.

In S203, the CPU 31 determines whether an operation to the button 54 isrendered. If the CPU 31 determines that no operation to the button 54 isrendered (S203: NO), the CPU 31 returns to S201 and waits until thenumber of unprinted pages lowers to be smaller than the predeterminednumber (S201: NO) or until an operation to the button 54 is rendered(S203: YES).

In S203, if the CPU 31 determines that an operation to the button 54 isrendered (S203: YES), in S204, the CPU 31 controls the user I/F 37 toclose the screen 55 having been displayed since S202 and abort the imageprinting. For example, the CPU 31 may restrain the sheet conveyer fromnewly starting to convey a sheet. Meanwhile, for the sheet(s) that arealready being conveyed, image printing may either be continued ordiscontinued as long as the sheet(s) that are already being conveyed areejected outside the MFP 100.

In S205, the CPU 31 stores identifying information of the externaldevice being the sender of the print job data for the print jobcurrently in progress in the non-volatile memory 34. For example, if theprint job data for the print job was received from the PC 200, the CPU31 stores identifying information of the PC 200 in the non-volatilememory 34. In particular, the CPU 31 stores information to identify theexternal device that transmitted the print job data as setting-changeexperience information 341 in the non-volatile memory 34. Thesetting-change experience information 341 is usable in order todetermine a print setting for a future print job that may be receivedform the same external device. Activities by the PC 200 to use thesetting-change experience information 341 will be described furtherbelow.

The identifying information of the external device to be stored as thesetting-change experience information 341 may include, for example, aname of the external device, a serial number of the external device, anda name of a user associated with the external device. When, for example,the print job data includes information concerning the user who createdthe print job, the information concerning the user may be stored as thesetting-change experience information 341. For another example, theidentifying information of the external device may be a sender address(e.g., IP address, MAC address, etc.) of the external device.

In S206, the CPU 31 transmits operation information to the externaldevice, which is the sender of the print job data for the print jobbeing in progress, through the communication I/F 36. The operationinformation indicates the occurrence of the operation rendered to thebutton 54 in the screen 55. Activities by the PC 200 to use theoperation information will be described further below in detail.

In S207, the CPU 31 determines whether the print data for the print jobremains. In particular, the CPU 31 determines whether the entire printdata for the print job that was aborted in S204 is stored in the RAM 33.For example, the MFP 100 may delete a part of the print data as soon asa part of the image for the part of the print data is printed on asheet. In such a case, the MFP 100 may not have the entire print data inthe RAM 33, but the part of the print data may have been deleted. On theother hand, for another example, the MFP 100 may keep the entire printdata until entire image printing on sheets for the print job iscompleted. In such a case, the entire print data may remain in the RAM33. In this regard, if at least a part of the print data is deleted, theCPU 31 determines negatively in S207 (S207: NO).

If the CPU 31 determines that the print data for the print job is notstored (S207: NO), in S208, the CPU 31 transmits a resend request to theexternal device being the sender of the print job data for sending theprint data once again through the communication I/F 36. In S209, the CPU31 obtains the print data from the external device through thecommunication I/F 36. In this regard, the external device does notdelete the print data after sending the print data to the MFP 100 untilthe external device receives a completion notice from the MFP 100.Meanwhile, for example, if the MFP 100 is configured to always keep theentire print data until the entire image printing on the sheets iscompleted, the external device may delete the print job after sendingthe print job data without waiting for the completion notice. Activitiesby the PC 200 as the external device in relation with the completionnotice will be described further below in detail.

Following either S209 or an affirmative determination in S207 that theentire print data remains (S207: YES), in S210, the CPU 31 controls theimage forming device 40 to resume printing images for the print data. InS210, the images are printed in the print setting having been changed,i.e., in single-sided printing. Meanwhile, after requesting for theprint data in S208, if the CPU 31 fails to obtain the print data fromthe external device, the CPU 31 may control the user I/F 37 to display amessage notifying the user of the failure and terminate the in-printingchanging process without starting the image printing.

Following either S210 or a negative determination in S201 that thenumber of unprinted pages is smaller than the predetermined number(S201: NO), in S211, the CPU 31 determines whether the image printing iscompleted. In other words, if no predetermined number of unprinted pagesremains at the time when the in-printing changing process started, theCPU 31 does not display the screen 55 containing the button 54 butcontinues the image printing until the images are completely printed. Inthis occasion, the CPU 31 may either display no screen at all or maydisplay another screen that does not contain the button 54.

Meanwhile, after displaying the screen 55 in S202, making a negativedetermination in S203 that no operation to the button 55 is rendered,and if the CPU 31 determines in S201 that no predetermined number ofunprinted pages remains (S201: NO), in S211, the CPU 31 may control theuser I/F 37 to close the screen 55 having been displayed since S202.

In S211, if the CPU 31 determines that the image printing is notcompleted (S211: NO), the CPU 31 controls the image forming device 40 tocontinue printing until the images for the print job data is completelyprinted. If the CPU 31 determines that the image printing is completed(S211: YES), in S212, the CPU 31 transmits the completion notice to theexternal device being the sender of the print job data for the currentprint job. The CPU 31 exits the in-printing changing process and returnsto the main process.

In the in-print changing process in FIG. 5, in S202, the determinationwhether the print-in-progress screen should be displayed may notnecessarily made depending on the determination in S201 whether thenumber of unprinted pages is larger than or equal to the predeterminednumber, but the determination in S202 may be made, for example,depending on a determination, whether an amount of the data for theunprinted pages is larger than or equal to a predetermined amount. Foranother example, the determination in S202 may be made depending on adetermination whether a length of time required to print the images forthe unprinted pages is longer than or equal to a predetermined length.

For another example, in place of the determination whether the number ofunprinted pages is larger than or equal to the predetermined number inS201, a determination whether a printable amount per unit of time forthe image printing is larger or equal to a predetermined amount may bemade. If, for example, a determination that the printable amount perunit of time is neither larger than nor equal to the predeterminedamount, the flow may proceed to S202, and if a determination that theprintable amount per unit of time is larger than or equal to thepredetermined amount, the flow may proceed to S211.

A printable amount per unit of time may tend to increase when, forexample, printing in a monochrome setting and in a lower resolutionsetting, in which images may be printed in a faster speed. The CPU 31may determine whether the printable amount per unit of time for theprint job is larger by, for example, referring to the print settingsincluded in the print job data. On the other hand, printing in amulticolor setting and in a higher resolution setting may tend to lowera printing speed, and duration of the runtime from the start to the endof the image printing may tend to be longer. Therefore, while imageprinting, in which the printable amount per unit of time is smaller, isin progress, a change to the print setting may likely be acceptedthrough the button in the print-in-progress screen which is displayedafter starting of the image printing.

For another example, in the in-printing changing process shown in FIG.5, in response to the operation rendered to the button 54 (S203: YES),the image printing may not necessarily be aborted (S204) and the printdata may not necessarily be retrieved from the external device (S209).In particular, the pages that are already printed on the sheets may notnecessarily be repeated for the single-sided printing, but merely imagesfor the unprinted pages may be printed in the setting of single-sidedprinting. In other words, the steps S204 and S207-S209 in thein-printing changing process may be omitted so that the CPU 31 maycomplete the ongoing image printing for the current page and maycontinue printing the images for the unprinted pages in the setting ofsingle-sided printing. In this flow, the CPU 31 may not necessarilyrequest for the print data to obtain for the second time. In thisregard, the PC 200 may not necessarily store the print data withoutdeleting until the image printing is completed in the MFP 100.

Referring back to FIG. 4, the main process will further be described.Following one of a negative determination in S101, in which the CPU 31determines that the print job data is not received (S101: NO), S103, anegative determination in S105, in which the CPU 31 determines that theprint setting is not double-sided printing (S105: NO), and S106, inS107, the CPU 31 determines whether a selection for a reservable printjob is made. The MFP 100 may, when print data for the reservable printjob is stored, accept a selecting instruction for a selection of thereservable print job through the user I/F 37. If the reservable printjob is a secured job, the MFP 100 may activate an authenticating processand may accept the selection for the reservable print job in a limitedcase where the user is successfully authenticated.

In S107, if the CPU 31 determines that the selection for the reservableprint job is accepted (S107: YES), in S108, the CPU 31 conducts areservable job printing process, in which image printing based on theprint data constituting the reservable print job is conducted, and inwhich a changing instruction for changing the print setting isacceptable before the image printing starts.

With reference to FIG. 6, described below will be steps in thereservable job printing process. In S301, the CPU 31 determines whetherthe print setting for the selected reservable print job is double-sidedprinting. The CPU 31 may determine the print setting by, for example,referring to the print setting included in the print job data. If theCPU 31 determines that the print setting is double-sided printing (S301:YES), in S302, the CPU 31 controls the user I/F 37 to display a printstandby screen. The print standby screen may include, for example, asshown in the screen 53 in FIG. 2, a message, which explains that thecurrent reservable print job is in the print setting of double-sidedprinting, and the button 51, through which a print-start instruction forstarting image printing in the print setting of single-sided printing isacceptable, and the button 52, through which a print-start instructionfor starting image printing in the print setting of double-sidedprinting is acceptable, in the user I/F 37.

In S303, the CPU 31 determines whether an operation to either the button51 or the button 52 in the screen 53 being displayed is rendered. If theCPU 31 determines that no operation to the buttons 51, 52 is rendered(S303: NO), the CPU 31 waits until an operation to either the button 51or the button 52 is rendered. Optionally, the screen 53 may include abutton, through which cancellation of the reservable print job isacceptable.

If the CPU 31 determines that an operation to either the button 51 orthe button 52 is rendered (S303: YES), in S304, the CPU 31 determineswhether the operation is an instruction for changing the print setting.In particular, if the operation to the button 51 is rendered, the CPU 31determines that the operation is an instruction for changing the printsetting, and if the operation to the button 52 is rendered, the CPU 31determines that the operation is an instruction not for changing but formaintaining the print setting.

In S304, if the CPU 31 determines that the operation is an instructionfor changing the print setting (S304: YES), in S305, the CPU 31 storesidentifying information of the external device being the sender of theprint job data for the selected reservable print job in the non-volatilememory 34. The action in S305 may be similar to the action in S205. InS306, the CPU 31 transmits the operation information to the externaldevice, which is the sender of the print job data for the reservableprint job being in progress, through the communication I/F 36. Theaction in S306 may be similar to the action in S206.

In S301, on the other hand, if the CPU 31 determines that no operationto the button 51 or the button 52 is rendered (S301: NO), in S307, theCPU 31 determines whether a print-start instruction for starting imageprinting is entered. If the CPU 31 determines that no print-startinstruction for starting image printing is entered (S307: NO), the CPU31 waits until the instruction is entered. In particular, if theselected reservable print job has a print setting other thandouble-sided printing, the CPU 31 may control the user I/F 37 to displaya print standby screen containing a button, through which a print-startinstruction for starting image printing is acceptable, in the user I/F37 to accept the print-start instruction for starting image printing.The print standby screen may not contain a button, through which aninstruction for changing the print setting is acceptable.

In S307, if the CPU 31 determines that a print-start instruction forstarting image printing is entered (S307: YES), or following S306, inS308, the CPU 31 controls the user I/F 37 to close the print standbyscreen having been displayed since S302 and controls the image formingdevice 40 to start printing the images. In particular, in S308, the CPU31 controls the image forming device 40 to print the images in the printsetting of single-sided printing.

In S309, the CPU 31 determines whether the image printing is completed.If the CPU 31 determines that the image printing is incomplete (S309:NO), the CPU 31 controls the image forming device 40 to continue theimage printing until the images are completely printed. If the CPU 31determines that the image printing is completed (S309: YES), the CPU 31exits the reservable job printing process and returns to the mainprocess.

On the other hand, in S304, if the CPU 31 determines that the operationrendered is not an instruction for changing the print setting (S304:NO), in S310, the CPU 31 controls the user I/F 37 to close the printstandby screen having been displayed since S302 and controls the imageforming device 40 to start printing the images. In particular, in S310,the CPU 31 controls the image forming device 40 to print the images inthe print setting of double-sided printing. In S311, the CPU 31 conductsthe in-printing changing process (see FIG. 5) described earlier. Afterfinishing through the in-printing changing process, the CPU 31 exits thereservable job printing process and returns to the main process.

Referring back to FIG. 4, the main process will further be described. InS107, if the CPU 31 determines that no selection for the reservableprint job is accepted (S107: NO), or following S108, in S109, the CPU 31determines whether a confirmation signal from the external device (e.g.,the PC 200) is received. The confirmation signal will be described indetail further below.

If the CPU 31 determines that the confirmation signal is received (S109:YES), in S110, the CPU 31 determines whether the setting-changeexperience information 341 in the non-volatile memory 34 includesinformation to match information that identifies the external devicebeing a sender of the confirmation signal. If the CPU 31 determines thatthe setting-change experience information 341 includes the matchinginformation to identify the external device (S110: YES), in S111, theCPU 31 transmits a reply signal indicating presence of the matchinginformation to the external device through the communication I/F 36. Ifthe CPU 31 determines that the setting-change experience information 341includes no matching information to identify the external device (S110:NO), in S112, the CPU 31 transmits a reply signal indicating absence ofthe matching information through the communication I/F 36.

Following S111, S112, or a negative determination in S109 that noconfirmation signal is received (S109: NO), in S113, the CPU 31determines whether a termination instruction is entered. If the CPU 31determines that no termination instruction is entered (S113: NO), theCPU 31 returns to S101 and repeats the determinations in S101, S107,S109, and S113. If the CPU 31 determines that a termination instructionis entered (S113: YES), the CPU 31 ends the main process.

Next, with reference to FIG. 7, described below will be a jobtransmitting process to be conducted in the PC 200. The PC 200 may have,for example, as shown in FIG. 1, the editor application 141 being anapplication program installed in the non-volatile memory 14 to editdocuments and images and may accept an execution instructing operationto instruct the MFP 100 to execute image printing for the documents andthe images. The job transmitting process activated in response to theexecution instructing operation rendered through the application programsuch as the editor application 141 and is conducted by the CPU 11 of thePC 200 to transmit the print job data to the MFP 100.

In S401, the CPU 11 generates a print job based on a print instructionentered through the application program. In S402, the CPU 11 determineswhether the print setting for the generated print job is double-sidedprinting. If the CPU 11 determines that the print setting for thegenerated print job is double-sided printing (S402: YES), in S403, theCPU 11 determines whether an invalidation setting is stored in thenon-volatile memory 14. The invalidation setting is a setting not todisplay a message that inquires of the user whether the print settingshould be changed. As will be described further below, the CPU 11 mayreceive an invalidation instruction to invalidate display of themessage, and the CPU 11 receiving the invalidation instruction may storeinformation concerning the invalidation in the non-volatile memory 14.In other words, if the CPU 11 received an invalidation instruction inS403 the job transmitting process conducted in the past, the informationof the invalidation setting may be stored in the non-volatile memory 14.

In S403, if the CPU 11 determines that no invalidation setting is storedin the non-volatile memory 14 (S403: NO), in S404, the CPU 11 determineswhether the operation information is stored in the non-volatile memory14. The operation information may be transmitted from the MFP 100 ineither S206 in the in-printing changing process (see FIG. 5) or in S306in the reservable job printing process (see FIG. 6). The PC 200receiving the operation information from the MFP 100 may store theoperation information in the non-volatile memory 14.

If the CPU 11 determines that no operation information is stored in thenon-volatile memory 14 (S404: NO), in S405, the CPU 11 transmits aconfirmation signal to the MFP 100 through the communication I/F 16. Theconfirmation signal is a signal to inquire of the MFP 100 whether theMFP 100 has experienced an operation to change the print settingrendered through the user I/F 37. As described earlier, the MFP 100experienced the change of the print setting from double-sided printingto single-sided printing before or in midst of image printing for aprint job transmitted from the PC 200, which is the sender of theconfirmation signal, may store information to identify the PC 200 as thesetting-change experience information 341. In this regard, the MFP 100receiving the confirmation signal transmits a different reply signal tothe PC 200 depending on absence or presence of the information toidentify the PC 200 in the setting-change experience information 341through S110-S112 in the main process (see FIG. 4).

Following S405, in S406, the CPU 11 receives a reply signal from the MFP100 through the communication I/F 16. In S407, the CPU 11 determineswhether the received reply signal indicates presence of the identifyinginformation. If the CPU 11 determines that the received signal indicatespresence of the identifying information (S407: YES), or in S404, if theCPU 11 determines that the operation information is stored in thenon-volatile memory 14 (S404: YES), in S408, the CPU 11 conducts asuggestion displaying process, in which the user is suggested to changethe print setting from double-sided printing to the single-sidedprinting.

Next, with reference to FIG. 8, described below will be the suggestiondisplaying process to be conducted in the PC 200. In S501, the CPU 11controls the display 17 to display a suggestion screen that suggests theuser to change the print setting from double-sided printing tosingle-sided printing. For example, the CPU 11 may display a screen 64containing a button 61, through which an instruction for changing theprint setting to the single-sided printing is acceptable; a button 62,through which an instruction for maintaining the print setting asdouble-sided printing; and an instruction box 63, through which aninvalidation instruction for invalidating the suggestion screen frombeing displayed in a future occurrence of the suggestion displayingprocess is acceptable, in the display 17. With the screen 64, the PC 200may inform the user of the current print setting of double-sidedprinting and suggest the user to change the print setting tosingle-sided printing.

In S502, the CPU 11 determines whether an operation to the button 61 inthe screen 64 is rendered. In this regard, the operation to the button61 includes instructing for changing the print setting. If the CPU 11determines that no operation to the button 61 is rendered (S502: NO), inS503, the CPU 11 determines whether an operation to the button 62 isrendered. In this regard, the operation to the button 62 includesinstructing for not changing but maintaining the print setting. If theCPU 11 determines that no operation to the button 62 is rendered (S503:NO), the CPU 11 returns to S502 and waits until an operation to eitherthe button 61 or the button 62 is rendered.

In S502, if the CPU 11 determines that an operation to the button 61 isrendered S502: YES), in S504, the CPU 11 changes the print setting forthe print job generated in S401 in the job transmitting process (seeFIG. 7). In particular, the CPU 11 changes the print setting fromdouble-sided printing to single-sided printing.

Following S504, or an affirmative determination in S503 that anoperation to the button 62 is rendered (S503: YES), in S505, the CPU 11determines whether an instruction for invalidating the suggestion screenfrom being displayed is entered through the instruction box 63 in thescreen 64. If the CPU 11 determines that the instruction forinvalidating the suggestion screen from being displayed is entered(S505: YES), in S506, the CPU 11 stores the setting to invalidatedisplay of the suggestion screen in the non-volatile memory 14. Thereby,in the job transmitting process in a next and later occurrence, the CPU11 may make an affirmative determination in S403 (S403: YES). Thus, thePC 200 may apply the setting to invalidate display of the screen 64 inthe next or later occurrence, and the user may be released from beingbothered by the screen 64.

Following S506 or a negative determination in S505 that no invalidationinstruction for invalidating display of the suggestion screen is entered(S505: NO), in S507, the CPU 11 controls the display 17 to close thescreen 64 having been displayed since S501 and exits the suggestiondisplaying process. The flow returns to the job transmitting process(see FIG. 7).

Referring back to FIG. 7, the job transmitting process will further bedescribed. Following one of the suggestion displaying process in S408, anegative determination in S402 that that the print setting for thegenerated print job is not double-sided printing (S402: NO), anaffirmative determination in S403 that the invalidating setting isstored in the non-volatile memory 14 (S403: YES), and a negativedetermination in S407 that the received signal indicates absence of theidentifying information (S407: NO), in S409, the CPU 11 transmits theprint job data to the MFP 100 through the communication I/F 16.

In S410, the CPU 11 determines whether the transmitted print job is areservable print job. If the CPU 11 determines that the print job is nota reservable print job (S401: NO), in S411, the CPU 11 determineswhether a completion notice indicating completion of the image printingfor the transmitted print job is received from the MFP 100. If the CPU11 determines that no completion notice is received (S411: NO), in S412,the CPU 11 determines whether the resend request requesting for sendingthe print job data once again to the MFP 100 is received from the MFP100. The resend request may be transmitted from the MFP 100 in S208 inthe in-printing changing process (see FIG. 5).

If the CPU 11 determines that no resend request is received (S412: NO),the CPU 11 returns to S411 and waits until either a completion notice ora resend request is received. If the CPU 11 determines that a resendrequest is received (S412: YES), in S413, the CPU 11 transmits the printjob data once transmitted in S409 again to the MFP 100 through thecommunication I/F 16.

In S410, meanwhile, if the CPU 11 determines that the print job is areservable print job (S410: YES), or in S411, if the CPU 11 determinesthat a completion notice is received (S411: YES), in S414, the CPU 11deletes the transmitted print job data from the RAM 13 and ends the jobtransmitting process.

As has been described, in the image forming system according to thepresent embodiment, the MFP 100 may receive the print job data from thePC 200. If the received print job is a reservable print job, and if theprint setting for the reservable print job is double-sided printing, theMFP 100 may display the screen 53 (see FIG. 2) to wait for the printinstructing operation to the button 51, through which the operation tochange the print setting and the print instructing operation may berendered, and the button 52, through which the print instructingoperation may be rendered without changing the print setting. If anoperation to the button 51 is rendered, the MFP 100 may execute imageprinting for the print job with the print setting changed fromdouble-sided printing to the single-sided printing. On the other hand,if an operation to the button 52 is rendered, the MFP 100 may executeimage printing for the print job with the print setting unchanged fromthe double-sided printing. In this regard, in order to cause the MFP 100to print images for the received reservable print job in eitherdouble-sided printing or single-sided printing, the user may merelyoperate one of the buttons 51, 52 being displayed in the screen toaccept the print instructing operation. Therefore, the user is notforced to search for a preferable print setting item among a pluralityof print setting items or a preferable parameter among a plurality ofparameters. In this regard, a user who may not have enough experience orknowledge about the print settings may still change the print settingfor the print job from double-sided printing to the single-sidedprinting by the simple operation. Thus, the user may be prevented frombeing frustrated by complicated print settings.

Moreover, in recent years, because low power consumption is encouragedand a faster printing operation is positively accepted, the printsetting of double-sided printing may tend to be applied more often as adefault setting in a printer driver. In such a case, a user who isaccustomed to the print setting of single-sided printing may receive adissatisfying result printed in double-sided printing undesirably forthe initial use of the image forming apparatus. In other words, the usermay start printing images without being aware of the print setting ofdouble-sided printing. In this regard, the button enabling a change tothe print setting for the print job that has already started may enablethe user to notice the current print setting of double-sided printingand allows the user to change the print setting by the operation to thebutton. In other words, the print setting may be changed in a lesscomplicated fashion, and the user may avoid receiving of the undesiredor unintended outcome.

Moreover, information indicating the past experience of the operation tothe button 51 indicating the user's preference for the print setting ofsingle-sided printing may be transmitted to the PC 200 so that the printjob with the print setting of double-sided printing to the MFP 100regardless of the user's preference to single-sided printing may berestrained from being transmitted to the MFP 100.

Moreover, the information indicating the past experience of theoperation to the button 51 may be stored in the MFP 100 so that, forexample, the MFP 100 may transmit the reply signal to the PC 200 basedon the stored information in response to the confirmation signaltransmitted from the PC 200. Therefore, the PC 200 receiving the replysignal may restrain transmission of the print job with the print settingof double-sided printing.

Moreover, while image printing for a non-reservable print job with theprint setting of double-sided printing is in progress, the screen 55with the button 54 may be displayed. If the user operates the button 54before completion of the image printing, the MFP 100 may abort the imageprinting in double-sided printing and start the same image printing insingle-sided printing. Thus, the user may change the print setting forthe print job from double-race printing to single-sided printing withthe easy operation as soon as the user notices, even after the MFP 100accepts and starts the print job 100.

Optionally, the MFP 100 may complete the image printing in progress on apage in the current print setting, and after finishing printing theimage on the current sheet, the MFP 100 may change the print settingbefore starting to printing a next image on a next sheet. Thus, imageprinting for the unprinted pages in the print setting of single-sidedprinting may be achieved in the simple controlling flow, and the printjob may be completed in shorter time.

Optionally, the MFP 100 may start printing the images for the same printjob in double-sided printing from the beginning for the first page.Therefore, the user may, if desires, achieve the printed material allprinted in single-sided printing.

Meanwhile, if a number of unprinted pages is smaller, a time periodrequired to complete the image printing for the unprinted pages may beshorter, and a time period, in which the user may operate the button 54even if the screen 55 is displayed to the user, may be insufficient. Theuser failing to operate the button 54 due to the short period ofdisplaying the screen 55 may be dissatisfied. In this regard, the MFP100 may not display the screen 55 when the number of unprinted pages issmaller than the predetermined number. Thus, the user may be preventedfrom the potential dissatisfaction.

Moreover, if a printable amount per unit of time for a print job islarger, and a printing speed is faster, a time period required tocomplete the image printing for the unprinted pages in the print job maybe shorter, and a time period, in which the user may operate the button54 even if the screen 55 is displayed to the user, may be insufficient.The user failing to operate the button 54 due to the short period ofdisplaying the screen 55 may be dissatisfied. In this regard, the MFP100 may not to display the screen 55 when the number of unprinted pagesis smaller than the predetermined number so that the user may beprevented from the potential dissatisfaction.

Moreover, the PC 20 may display the screen 64. Therefore, through thescreen 64, the print setting may be changed even before the print job istransmitted to the MFP 100. Further, the screen 64 may include theinstruction box 63; therefore, the screen 64 may be restrained frombeing displayed repeatedly to bother the user.

Although an example of carrying out the invention have been described,those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerousvariations and permutations of the image forming apparatus and the imageforming system that fall within the spirit and scope of the disclosureas set forth in the appended claims. It is to be understood that thesubject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limitedto the specific features or act described above. Rather, the specificfeatures and acts described above are disclosed as example forms ofimplementing the claims. For example, the technics described above maynot necessarily be applied to an MFP but may be applied to apparatusesthat may print an image, such as a printer, a copier, and a facsimilemachine.

For another example, the changeable print setting may not necessarily belimited to changing from double-sided printing to single-sided printingbut may include, for example, changing from high-resolution printing tolow-resolution printing, or changing from multicolor printing tomonochrome printing. Moreover, the changeable print setting may notnecessarily be limited to a single print setting item but a plurality ofprint setting items may be changeable. For example, a print settingapplied differently from that in an older model within the same settingitem may be changeable, and a print setting newly introduced in thecurrent model may be changeable.

For another example, contents of the screens that may be displayed inthe user I/F 37 and the display 17 may not necessarily be limited tothose as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. For example, in S302in the reservable job printing process, the CPU 11 may display a screen58, as shown in FIG. 10, containing a button, through which a change tothe print setting is acceptable, and a button 57, through which a printexecution instruction is acceptable, in place of the screen 53.

For another example, the user I/F 37 may not necessarily be a touchpanel but may be an operation panel having a display screen, throughwhich user's input is not acceptable, and buttons, through which user'sinput is acceptable. In such a configuration, the CPU 31 may, forexample, determine that an operation for changing the print setting isrendered when specific one of the buttons is operated.

For another example, the in-printing changing process (see FIG. 5) maynot necessarily be conducted when an execution instruction for areservable print job includes an instruction for not changing butmaintaining the current print setting. In other words, the step S311 inthe reservable job printing process may be skipped.

Moreover, the information indicating the experience of changing theprint setting may not necessarily be stored in the MFP 100 andtransmitted to the PC 200. In other words, the information may be storedin the MFP 100 while not being transmitted to the PC 200, or theinformation may not be stored in the MFP 100 while being transmitted tothe PC 200. For example, the MFP 100 may not necessarily transmit theoperation information upon changing the print setting, in other words,the MFP 100 may skip S206 in the in-printing changing process or S306 inthe reservable job printing process; meanwhile, the PC 200 may notnecessarily determine presence or absence of the operation informationin S404 in the job transmitting process. For another example, the MFP100 may not necessarily store the information identifying the externaldevice or transmit the reply signal to the PC 200, in other words, theMFP 100 may skip S205 in the in-printing changing process or S305 in thereservable job printing process and may skip S111 and S112 in the manprocess; meanwhile, the PC 200 may not necessarily transmit theconfirmation signal to the MFP 100 in S405 in the job transmittingprocess.

For another example, the operation information transmitted from the MFP100 to the PC 200 may explicitly indicate the change in the printsetting from one to another or may solely indicate a result of theoperation.

For another example, the PC 200 may not necessarily display the screen64 when the operation information is saved or when the reply signalindicating presence of the information is received. In other words, theprint setting may be changed from double-sided printing to single-sidedprinting automatically without inquiring the user about preferencethrough the screen 64.

Moreover, the steps in the flowcharts described above may notnecessarily be processed in the fixed order as described above but maybe processed in a different order or partly in parallel unless thealteration causes contradiction in the processes.

Moreover, the steps or the processes in the flowcharts described abovemay be accomplished by a single CPU, a plurality of CPUs, a hardwaredevice such as an ASIC, or a combination of any of these. For anotherexample, the steps or the processes in the above-described embodimentmay be accomplished by various media or methods, including a recordingmedium storing the programs to implement the steps or the processes.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: acommunication interface; an image forming device; a user interface; amemory; and a controller configured to: in response to receiving ofreservable print job data constituting a reservable print job throughthe communication interface, execute a print standby screen displayingprocess, in which the controller controls the user interface to displaya print standby screen, the user interface displaying the print standbyscreen being acceptable of an execution instructing operation for thereservable print job rendered in the print standby screen, thecontroller being configured to control the user interface to display aspecific object in the print standby screen on condition that thereceived reservable print job data indicates a first parameter beingapplied to the received reservable print job, the reservable print jobbeing a print job to be saved temporarily in the memory without beingused for image printing by the image forming device directly uponreception through the communication interface but to be used by theimage forming device for image printing in response to the executinginstructing operation accepted through the user interface; and inresponse to the execution instructing operation being rendered throughthe user interface without accompanying an operation to the specificobject in the print standby screen, execute a reservation printingprocess, in which the controller controls the image forming device toprint images for the reservable print job, in compliance with the firstparameter, the controller being configured to, in response to theoperation to the specific object in the print standby screen and theexecution instructing operation being rendered through the userinterface, execute the reservation printing process in compliance withthe second parameter.
 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim1, wherein the controller is configured to, in response to the operationrendered to the specific object in the print standby screen through theuser interface, execute a reservable job operation occurrencetransmitting process, in which the controller transmits operationoccurrence information to an external device being a sender of thereservable print job data through the communication interface, theoperation occurrence information indicating a past experience of theoperation rendered to the specific object, the operation occurrenceinformation being information to suggest the external device receivingthe operation occurrence information to apply the second parameter to anew print job.
 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the controller is configured to, in response to the operationrendered to the specific object in the print standby screen through theuser interface, store operation experience information in the memory inassociation with identifying information of an external device being asender of the reservable print job data, the operation experienceinformation indicating a past experience of the operation rendered tothe specific object; and wherein the controller is configured to, inresponse to receiving of a confirmation signal from a predeterminedexternal device through the communication interface, execute areservable job reply transmitting process, in which the controllertransmits a reply signal to the predetermined external device throughthe communication interface, the reply signal indicating presence orabsence of the operation experience information associated with thepredetermined external device in the memory, the confirmation signalbeing a signal transmitted to the image forming apparatus from thepredetermined external device when a new print job with the firstparameter applied thereto is accepted in the predetermined device, theconfirmation signal including identifying information of thepredetermined external device, the controller being configured to, oncondition that identifying information matching with the identifyinginformation of the predetermined external device included in theconfirmation signal is stored in the memory, transmit the reply signalindicating presence of the operation experience information to thepredetermined external device through the communication interface in thereservable job reply transmitting process, the controller beingconfigured to, on condition that no identifying information matchingwith the identifying information of the predetermined external deviceincluded in the confirmation signal is stored in the memory, transmitthe reply signal indicating absence of the operation experienceinformation to the predetermined external device through thecommunication interface in the reservable job reply transmittingprocess.
 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein aplurality of items of print settings are applicable to the print job,each one of the plurality of items of print settings having the firstparameter and the second parameter; and wherein applying one of thefirst parameter and the second parameter in one of the plurality ofitems of the print settings to the print job invalidates the other ofthe first parameter and the second parameter.
 5. The image formingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first parameter isdouble-sided printing, and wherein the second parameter is single-sidedprinting.
 6. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a communicationinterface; an image forming device; a user interface; a memory; and acontroller configured to: when print job data constituting a print jobis received through the communication interface, and on condition thatthe received print job data indicates a first parameter being applied tothe print job, execute a print-in-progress screen displaying process, inwhich the controller controls the user interface to display aprint-in-progress screen including a specific object while the imageforming device is in progress of image printing for the print job; andin response to an operation to the specific object in theprint-in-progress screen through the user interface rendered beforecompletion of the image printing for the print job, execute a printresuming process, in which the controller aborts the image printing incompliance with the first parameter and controls the image formingdevice to print images for the print job in compliance with a secondparameter.
 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, whereinthe controller is configured to, when executing the print resumingprocess to abort the image printing for the print job, control the imageforming device to complete printing an image for a currently printingpage in compliance with the first parameter and print an image for anunprinted page in the print job in compliance with the second parameter.8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein thecontroller is configured to, when executing the print resuming processto abort the image printing for the print job: control the image formingdevice to eject a sheet currently being conveyed; delete the print datafor an unprinted page in the print job without causing the image formingdevice to print an image for the unprinted page; request for resendingthe print job from the external device being a sender of the print job;control the image forming device to print the image for the unprintedpage in the print job resent from the external device in compliance withthe second parameter; and cause the external device to maintain theprint data for each page in the print job until the image printing forthe print job is completed.
 9. The image forming apparatus according toclaim 6, wherein the controller is configured to, in response to theoperation rendered to the specific object in the print-in-progressscreen through the user interface, execute a print job operationoccurrence transmitting process, in which the controller transmitsoperation occurrence information to an external device being a sender ofthe print job data through the communication interface, the operationoccurrence information indicating a past experience of the operationrendered to the specific object, the operation occurrence informationbeing information to suggest the external device receiving the operationoccurrence information to apply the second parameter to a new print job.10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein thecontroller is configured to, in response to the operation rendered tothe specific object in the print-in-progress screen through the userinterface, store operation experience information in the memory inassociation with identifying information of an external device being asender of the print job data, the operation experience informationindicating a past experience of the operation rendered to the specificobject; and wherein the controller is configured to, in response toreceiving of a confirmation signal from a predetermined external devicethrough the communication interface, execute a print job replytransmitting process, in which the controller transmits a reply signalto the predetermined external device through the communicationinterface, the reply signal indicating presence or absence of theoperation experience information associated with the predeterminedexternal device in the memory, the confirmation signal being a signaltransmitted to the image forming apparatus from the predeterminedexternal device when a new print job with the first parameter appliedthereto is accepted in the predetermined external device, theconfirmation signal including identifying information of thepredetermined external device, the controller being configured to, oncondition that identifying information matching with the identifyinginformation of the predetermined external device included in theconfirmation signal is stored in the memory, transmit the reply signalindicating presence of the operation experience information to thepredetermined external device through the communication interface in thejob reply transmitting process, the controller being configured to, oncondition that no identifying information matching with the identifyinginformation of the predetermined external device included in theconfirmation signal is stored in the memory, transmit the reply signalindicating absence of the operation experience information to thepredetermined external device through the communication interface in thejob reply transmitting process.
 11. The image forming apparatusaccording to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to, oncondition that a remaining amount of the image printing for the printjob, for which the image forming device is currently controlled to printthe images, is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount, executethe print-in-progress displaying process, the controller beingconfigured to, on condition that the remaining amount of the imageprinting for the print job is smaller than the predetermined amount,refrain from executing the print-in-progress displaying process.
 12. Theimage forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a plurality ofitems of print settings are applicable to the print job, a predeterminedone of the plurality of items of print settings having a third parameterand a fourth parameter; wherein applying one of the third parameter andthe fourth parameter in the predetermined one of the plurality of itemsof the print settings to the print job invalidates the other of thethird parameter and the fourth parameter; wherein an amount per unit oftime for image printing in compliance with the third parameter is largerthan an amount per unit of time for image printing in compliance withthe fourth parameter; and wherein the controller is configured to, oncondition that the fourth parameter is applied to the predetermined oneof the plurality of items of the print settings to the print job, forwhich the image forming device is currently controlled to print theimages, execute the print-in-progress screen displaying process, thecontroller being configured to, on condition that the third parameter isapplied to the predetermined one of the plurality of items of the printsettings to the print job, refrain from executing the print-in-progressscreen displaying process.
 13. The image forming apparatus according toclaim 6, wherein a plurality of items of print settings are applicableto the print job, each one of the plurality of items of print settingshaving the first parameter and the second parameter; and whereinapplying one of the first parameter and the second parameter in one ofthe plurality of items of the print settings to the print jobinvalidates the other of the first parameter and the second parameter.14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the firstparameter is double-sided printing, and wherein the second parameter issingle-sided printing.
 15. An image forming system, comprising: an imageforming apparatus comprising a first communication interface and a firstuser interface; and an external device comprising a second communicationinterface and a second user interface, wherein the external device isconfigured to transmit reservable print job data constituting areservable print job through the second communication interface to theimage forming apparatus, the reservable print job being a print job tobe saved temporarily in a memory in the image forming apparatus withoutbeing used for image printing by an image forming device in the imageforming apparatus directly upon reception through the firstcommunication interface but to be used by the image forming device forimage printing in response to an executing instructing operationaccepted in the image forming apparatus through the first userinterface; wherein the image forming apparatus is configured to, inresponse to receiving of the reservable print job data from the externaldevice through the first communication interface, display a printstandby screen in the first user interface, the first user interfacedisplaying the print standby screen being acceptable of an executioninstructing operation for the reservable print job, the image formingapparatus being configured to, on condition that the received reservableprint job data indicates a first parameter being applied to the receivedreservable print job, control the first user interface to furtherdisplay a specific object in the print standby screen; and wherein theimage forming apparatus is configured to, in response to the executioninstructing operation being rendered through the first user interfacewithout accompanying an operation to the specific object in the printstandby screen, control the image forming device to print images for thereservable print job in compliance with the first parameter, the imageforming apparatus being configured to, in response to the operation tothe specific object in the print standby screen and the executioninstructing operation are rendered through the first user interface,control the image forming device to print the images for the reservableprint job in compliance with a second parameter.
 16. The image formingsystem according to claim 15, wherein the image forming apparatus isconfigured to, in response to the operation rendered to the specificobject in the print standby screen through the first user interface,transmit operation occurrence information to the external device throughthe first communication interface, the operation occurrence informationindicating a past experience of the operation rendered to the specificobject; and wherein the external device is configured to, afterreceiving of the operation occurrence information from the image formingapparatus through the second communication interface, suggestapplication of the second parameter to a new print job when the externaldevice generates the new print job.
 17. The image forming systemaccording to claim 15, wherein the image forming apparatus is configuredto, in response to the operation rendered to the specific object in theprint standby screen through the first user interface, store operationexperience information in the memory in association with identifyinginformation of the external device being a sender of the reservableprint job data, the operation experience information indicating a pastexperience of the operation rendered to the specific object; wherein theexternal device is configured to, when a new print job with the firstparameter applied thereto is accepted in the external device, transmit aconfirmation signal to the image forming apparatus through the secondcommunication interface, the confirmation signal including identifyinginformation of the external device; wherein the image forming apparatusis configured to, when the confirmation signal from the external deviceis received through the first communication interface, and on conditionthat identifying information matching with the identifying informationof the external device included in the confirmation signal is stored inthe memory, transmit a reply signal indicating presence of the operationexperience information to the external device through the firstcommunication interface, the image forming apparatus being configuredto, when the confirmation signal from the external device is receivedthrough the first communication interface, and on condition that noidentifying information matching with the identifying information of thepredetermined external device included in the confirmation signal isstored in the memory, transmit a reply signal indicating absence of theoperation experience information to the external device through thefirst communication interface; and wherein the external device isconfigured to, in response to receiving of the reply signal indicatingpresence of the operation experience information in the memory of theimage forming apparatus through the second communication interface,suggest application of the second parameter to a new print job, theexternal device being configured to, in response to receiving of thereply signal indicating absence of the operation experience informationin the memory of the image forming apparatus through the secondcommunication interface, refrain from suggesting application of thesecond parameter to the new print job.
 18. The image forming systemaccording to claim 17, wherein the external device is configured to,when suggesting application of the second parameter to the new printjob, display a prompt screen in the second user interface, the promptscreen suggesting the first parameter in the new print job to be changedto the second parameter, the prompt screen being acceptable of aninvalidation instruction to invalidate the suggestion of the applicationof the second parameter in a next print job; and wherein the externaldevice is configured to, based on an experience of accepting theinvalidation instruction through the prompt screen displayed in a pastsuggestion of the application of the second parameter to a past printjob, refrain from displaying the prompt screen in the second userinterface regardless of the presence of the operation experienceinformation in the memory of the image forming apparatus indicated inthe reply signal received through the second communication interface.19. An image forming system, comprising: an image forming apparatuscomprising a first communication interface and a first user interface;and an external device comprising a second communication interface and asecond user interface, wherein the external device is configured totransmit print job data constituting a print job through the secondcommunication interface to the image forming apparatus; wherein theimage forming apparatus is configured to: when the print job data fromthe external device is received through the first communicationinterface, and on condition that the received print job data indicates afirst parameter being applied to the received reservable print job,display a print-in-progress screen including a specific object in thefirst user interface while the image forming device is in progress ofimage printing for the print job; and in response to an operation to thespecific object in the print-in-progress screen through the first userinterface rendered before completion of the image printing for the printjob, abort the image printing in compliance with the first parameter andcontrol the image forming device to print images for the print job incompliance with a second parameter.
 20. The image forming systemaccording to claim 19, wherein the image forming apparatus is configuredto, in response to the operation rendered to the specific object in theprint-in-progress screen through the first user interface, transmitoperation occurrence information to the external device through thefirst communication interface, the operation occurrence informationindicating a past experience of the operation rendered to the specificobject; and wherein the external device is configured to, afterreceiving of the operation occurrence information from the image formingapparatus through the second communication interface, suggestapplication of the second parameter to a new print job when the externaldevice generates the new print job.
 21. The image forming systemaccording to claim 19, wherein the image forming apparatus is configuredto, in response to the operation rendered to the specific object in theprint-in-progress screen through the first user interface, storeoperation experience information in the memory in association withidentifying information of the external device being a sender of theprint job data, the operation experience information indicating a pastexperience of the operation rendered to the specific object; wherein theexternal device is configured to, when a new print job with the firstparameter applied thereto is accepted in the external device, transmit aconfirmation signal to the image forming apparatus through the secondcommunication interface, the confirmation signal including identifyinginformation of the external device; wherein the image forming apparatusis configured to, when the confirmation signal from the external deviceis received through the first communication interface, and on conditionthat identifying information matching with the identifying informationof the external device included in the confirmation signal is stored inthe memory, transmit a reply signal indicating presence of the operationexperience information to the external device through the firstcommunication interface, the image forming apparatus being configuredto, when the confirmation signal from the external device is receivedthrough the first communication interface, and on condition that noidentifying information matching with the identifying information of thepredetermined external device included in the confirmation signal isstored in the memory, transmit a reply signal indicating absence of theoperation experience information to the external device through thefirst communication interface; and wherein the external device isconfigured to, in response to receiving of the reply signal indicatingpresence of the operation experience information in the memory of theimage forming apparatus through the second communication interface,suggest application of the second parameter to a new print job, theexternal device being configured to, in response to receiving of thereply signal indicating absence of the operation experience informationin the memory of the image forming apparatus through the secondcommunication interface, refrain from suggesting application of thesecond parameter to the new print job.
 22. The image forming systemaccording to claim 21, wherein the external device is configured to,when suggesting application of the second parameter to the new printjob, display a prompt screen in the second user interface, the promptscreen suggesting the first parameter in the new print job to be changedto the second parameter, the prompt screen being acceptable of aninvalidation instruction to invalidate the suggestion of the applicationof the second parameter in a next print job; and wherein the externaldevice is configured to, based on an experience of accepting theinvalidation instruction through the prompt screen displayed in a pastsuggestion of the application of the second parameter to a past printjob, refrain from displaying the prompt screen in the second userinterface regardless of presence of the operation experience informationin the memory of the image forming apparatus indicated in the replysignal received through the second communication interface.